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Existential Therapy

Existential Therapy. A philosophical/intellectual approach to therapy. Key Figures. Heavily influenced by existential philosophers (Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, Buber, etc.)

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Existential Therapy

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  1. Existential Therapy A philosophical/intellectual approach to therapy

  2. Key Figures • Heavily influenced by existential philosophers (Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, Buber, etc.) • Viktor Frankl—developed logotherapy, summed up in quote, “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.” • Rollo May—tension between security of dependence and the delights and pains of growth Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6

  3. Key Figures • James Bugental—humanistic emphasis on the integrity of each individual, help client examine how they have answered life’s existential questions, authentic living • Irvin Yalom—four ultimate human concerns: death, freedom, existential isolation and meaninglessness

  4. Human Nature • The existential movement stands for respect for the person, for exploring new aspects of human behavior, and for divergent methods of understanding people. • The significance of our existence is never fixed and once and for all; rather we recreate ourselves through our projects Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

  5. Existential Therapy • BASIC DIMENSIONS – OF THE HUMAN CONDITION • The capacity for self-awareness • The tension between freedom & responsibility • The creation of an identity & establishing meaningful relationships • The search for meaning • Accepting anxiety as a condition of living • The awareness of death and nonbeing

  6. The Capacity for Self-Awareness • The greater our awareness, the greater our possibilities for freedom • Awareness is realizing that: • We are finite - time is limited • We have the potential, the choice, to act or not to act • Meaning is not automatic - we must seek it • We are subject to loneliness, meaninglessness, emptiness, guilt, and isolation Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (2)

  7. Identity and Relationship • Identity is “the courage to be” – We must trust ourselves to search within and find our own answers • Our great fear is that we will discover that there is no core, no self • Relatedness – At their best our relationships are based on our desire for fulfillment, not our deprivation • Relationships that spring from our sense of deprivation are clinging, parasitic, and symbiotic Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (3)

  8. The Search for Meaning • Meaning – like pleasure, meaning must be pursued obliquely • Finding meaning in life is a by-product of a commitment to creating, loving, and working • “The will to meaning” is our primary striving • Life is not meaningful in itself; the individual must create and discover meaning Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (4)

  9. Anxiety – A Condition of Living • Existential anxiety is normal - life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, without anxiety • Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom • We can blunt our anxiety by creating the illusion that there is security in life • If we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be frightened, but we will be able to change Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (5)

  10. Awareness of Death and Nonbeing • Death is a basic human condition that gives significance to living • Death provides us a motivation to live our lives fully and take opportunities for meaningful activities • Yalom refers to death as a “visitor in the therapeutic process” and should be explored explicitly Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

  11. Goals • The basic goal of therapy is to enable the individual to accept the awesome freedom and responsibility to act.

  12. Relationship Between Therapist and Client • Therapy is a journey taken by therapist and client • The person-to-person relationship is key • The relationship demands that therapists be in contact with their own phenomenological world • The core of the therapeutic relationship • Respect and faith in the clients’ potential to cope • Sharing reactions with genuine concern and empathy Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (6)

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